War kills.
WAR KILLS. It’s a concept people tend to consider “obvious”. I would have suspected that evolution and civilization would make this concept unconceivable, and that by now any problems in the world would be solved through negotiation and mediation, not through physical force and gun power. But the horrors we are witnessing or only reading about are way beyond the “usual” definition of the word war, commonly understood as: armies of opponent forces, confront each other in the (open) field; the winner takes the prize; the end. But the way the “war” happens these days means bombing civilians in their apartments, in their schools, in their hospitals even. Ambulances get hit. Emergency workers and humanitarian shelters get bombed. Somalia, Georgia, Gaza, it happened again and again, all over the globe. That’s not war. That’s genocide. That’s mass murder.
Although at times I think I understand in each case, who is the victim and who is to blame, I am also willing to admit that we are too small to have a precise understanding, beyond any reasonable doubt, of such complex circumstances. But we are (hopefully) also big enough to understand that beyond any political, economical, territorial, ethnic or “who started it”, beyond any other reason one may think of, man slaughter is outrageous. Killing defenseless innocent civilians cannot be justified by any reason in the world. Any “reason” to blow a toddler’s limbs away is anti-humanity and makes you question human reason itself. What are the political options that particular child is having and he’s being so horribly punished for? I know firsthand how life in a place where you risk your arm, your freedom or your life for your opinions or beliefs or preferences looks like. And no matter how horrified we are witnessing or even living through such terrifying experiences, the only fact I know for sure is that, at the end of the day, such reality exists because it’s being allowed.
Get informed. Then decide if the phrase “international community” involves you as well, and how.
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Howdy, I am not some troll who will be constantly ranting on your site, I only happened upon your blog from seeing it mentioned by a person on Twitter. Hear me out or not, I certainly do welcome your discourse on the subject should you care to continue it; so here goes:
“But the way the “war” happens these days means bombing civilians in their apartments, in their schools, in their hospitals even. Ambulances get hit. Emergency workers and humanitarian shelters get bombed. Somalia, Georgia, Gaza, it happened again and again, all over the globe. That’s not war. That’s genocide. That’s mass murder. ”
While the concept that the world (or “international community”) has undergone some horrific advancement in the base mechanics of war. I must emphatically state that not only has war NOT become more brutal and horrific, it is actually on a whole far less traumatizing to “civilian populations” than any other time in history.
Sure, there are weapons that can deliver bombs that destroy entire city blocks, but maimed or dead by a hand axe or rock catapulted is the same as being maimed or dead by a bomb. Run through by a sword, shot with an arrow, bullet or incinerated the end result is the same.
On the same token, “Civilian” casualties is nothing new, in fact, the aspect of “Civilians” is a modern military term & taboo, whereas historically, the populaces of warring peoples were actually accorded with equal if not worse treatment than the military!
I could list battles back to the beginning of recorded history, cultures and people that suffered through war & it various horrors. However, at the moment I do not have the time; If you wish for me to delve into this, feel free to ask, it’s not a pretty issue but certainly enlightening.
It’s said that the societies forget the horror of war and are then doomed to rediscover it every couple of generations; perhaps the issue at hand isn’t how horrible war has become, but why haven’t we evolved beyond it.
Peace,
DSM.
Hi, DSM.
Thanks for sharring your view.
No arguing there. The main issue is that despite thousands of years of evolution, war stayed horrible and it still hurts/kills innocents. Your last phrase is making the very same point I did in the beginning of the first paragraph.
Another issue is that indifference = permission. For various “reasons”, the international community fails to sanction such masacres. A lady with a flat voice mumbling a confusing declaration on tv doesn’t help. International boycot does. Till “evolution” happens, it needs to be forced upon some, the way a child (naturally violent) needs to be conditioned into non-violence and respect for any kind of life.
Peace,
Anna Presso
Evolution occurs from necessity. While I agree with you that the endless stream of half mumbled proclamations is worthless, sanctions really only hurt the poorest in the Nation States that they are applied to.
I don’t think we can force evolution, & the reason we haven’t evolved (answering my own question after some thought) is on an evolutionary scale, we are barely passed needing smell to hunt our food or prey. We’re a long way off from evolving to the point where we no longer have (territorial) pissing matches over a piece of dirt and the resources that it holds; let alone religious beliefs.
So, we are left with who uplifts (with apologies to David Brin) our species, as no socio -political body will be able to do it. Sure, in the short term, there will be stabilization (read destruction) of problematic Governments and people, but that is far more likely to come at the the end of a sword than the tip of a pen. Example: (Nazi Germany) and we are back where stared from. Whether it’s raids on London or Dresden. the “Non-Combatant” casualties climb; & yes, many of those people decided what roll they played in the “International Community” and to them (especially at times when Religion is involved) they made the “right” choice.
When it comes to changing an actual warring nation, the will of it’s people must be broke and recast not to tolerate such behavior. When Religion is throw in the mix, it’s even more challenging (read ugly and brutal and still isn’t effective)and pretty much all bets are off.
Please understand I am not defending or making a case for such horrible situations and actions, I am stating what I have observed as a student of history & humankind. Nor by any stretch of imagination do I claim to have really any answers.
Oh wait sure, I do… anyone have a spare Monolith they can send our way?
Sadly, as you very well noted, the key words are “complex circumstances”. We only see bits and pieces and never get to really know the whole story.
Beautifully written piece, anyway.
Peace to all.
Louis M.
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